In human anatomy, the head is at the top of the human body. It supports the face and is maintained by the skull, which itself encloses the brain. The human head consists of a fleshy outer portion, which surrounds the bony skull.

Understanding the Context

The brain is enclosed within the skull. There are 22 bones in the human head. [1] . The skull is one of the most vital bony structures of the human body, as it houses and protects the most important organs, including the brain.

Key Insights

There are 29 bones (including the hyoid and middle ear bones) that comprise the skull and give shape to the head. The Skull: Names of Bones in the Head, with Anatomy, & Labeled Diagram Skull in situ Human head skull from side Anatomy of a flat bone – the periosteum of the neurocranium is known as the pericranium Human skull from the front Side bones of skull The human skull is the bone structure that forms the head in the human skeleton. It supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain. Like the skulls of other vertebrates, it protects the brain from ... The cranium (skull) is the skeletal structure of the head that supports the face and protects the brain.

Final Thoughts

It is subdivided into the facial bones and the brain case, or cranial vault (Figure 1). The facial bones underlie the facial structures, form the nasal cavity, enclose the eyeballs, and support the teeth of the upper and lower jaws. The rounded brain case surrounds and protects the brain ... Skull, skeletal framework of the head of vertebrates, composed of bones or cartilage, which form a unit that protects the brain and some sense organs. The skull includes the upper jaw and the cranium. Learn more about the anatomy and function of the skull in humans and other vertebrates.